Throwing Pearls To Swine

                       "It's a crime of divinity the way the Heavens smile on some while being so cruel to others"


Have you noticed the most prosperous and privileged have the most formal education yet the least imagination, perspective, and insight?

Those in charge of the Internet would like to have it join the ranks of all the other media outlets:
full of advertisement, homogenized, blase, "nonthreatening".

No web site or blog site too controversial or exposing or too candid about critical things.
Nothing too analytical.
If it would be in their power to do so they'd shut down such sites, or make accessing the web as difficult as possible for any "heretics" and any other dubious of the "system of things".

The Internet would eventually become sort of a "MacBook club", so to speak, as those who can afford the best gadgets and accessories for such tend to be among those upper-middle-class types who have never been in need or want of anything and have little or no concept of dealing with an existence where "the cards are stacked against you" or where one "has to put themselves out that much more" to get by.
And, as such, put out web sites and blog sites with first-rate layouts and the fanciest designs, but whose content is vapid and superficial...all provincial fluff:  vainglorious testimonies to self-celebrations---all you ever wanted to know about them, their friends, their relatives, where they go to school, what they had to eat the night before.

But---write about anything meaningful, or about things of substance, and you're either boring and too tedious...or either offensive, menacing, or "uncooperative"...or some kind of rabble-rouser of sorts.

Just like with any other kinds of media, whoever's in charge of the Internet wants it's contents to be "clean", "innocent", and "correct-minded".
Sooner or later the bonafide "normal" and "whitewashed" will also own the web the same way they do everything else in this world of ours.

Happy X-mess

My Christmas meals for today:

Morning:
Cheddar Cheese; Choclolate Chip Cookie; Banana; Coffee

Evening:
Chef Boyardee; Uncle Ben's "Ready Rice" (Creamy Four Cheese); Frozen Broccoli Spears and Brussels Sprouts; and a Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich.

Yum! 

So...what are you people having for dinner this Christmas day?

More Myopic Musings and Annoying Adages

Someone once quipped:  "Why would anyone want to 'steal my identity'?  I'm a convicted felon, the only jobs I've ever held were menial ones---restaurants, warehouses...the most I've ever had to my name was somewhere around $2000---give-or-take.  And never much in the way of a 'love life'---a 'one-night-stand' or two."


Most people one runs into don't seem to have much in the way of having a "sense of boundaries" except for when THEY'RE the ones who are being violated.  THEN they suddenly "become conscious of" the fact that "others have rights too".
But when THEY'RE the ones being imposing they're usually oblivious to it. (Unless you point it out to them---in which case they get annoyed at your "being oversensitive", or something along that line.)


I get so tired of everything in life.  Most things I rely on seem to be little more than a bunch of "broken light switches".  They don't work like they should.


The best things in life are either those which are easy to navigate or whose "surprises" are along the line of serendipities.


Most things in life are about as trustworthy as setting your car on cruise-control when taking a cross-country trip on the interstate so you can catch some sleep on the way without having to stop, figuring "Hey, what the hell---no stop signs or traffic lights. Straight shot all the way".


In response to the massacre in Newtown Conn.:
"Should we start sending our kids to school with bulletproof backpacks?"
By all means, why not?  Even if we can't save the little brats' asses, at least other kids could use a few nice resilient backpacks.


A great idea for reducing the crime rate:
Stigmatize ALL offenses the same way they do "sex offenses".
Approach all types of criminal activities and wrongdoings with the same type of dogmatisms they now levy on the average "sex offender".
If any kind of "offender" automatically finds themselves "transformed" into becoming some sort of "social leper" it would take all the "glamour" away from, for example, gang memberships---or drug-dealing---or identity theft...

Jesus, the temple, government, consumerism,and businesses---or my way of saying "Merry Christmas"

When you buy a product or pay for certain services is it because you desire to make whoever owns the business or service provider "that much wealthier" out of your own pocket?
...or is it because of the promise of obtaining a quality product or recieving first-rate service at a reasonable price?

I'm betting the second reason is why you would bother at all to invest any of your good money in a product or service provider.

That's from the viewpoint of the consumer.
But apparently the viewpoint of the business and political factions are quite different.  They seem to abide by the notion that most people are suckers, meant to be taken advantage of.  That businesses only exist to see how much profit they can accumulate by fleecing consumers while going through the charades of providing goods and services when what they're actually doing is putting out second-rate products, a lot of them under reputed brand names which, at one time, had merit and used to live up to their reputation...and also providing second-rate services but still charging an-arm-and-a-leg for doing so, all while feigning "professionalism".
And then there are the politicians misappropriating taxpayer dollars for their own personal use, or to pay for secret projects that are totally irrelevant to the general wellbeing and functionalities of society-in-general.

One knows the story of Jesus "clearing the temple" of all the "moneychangers".
He walks in only to find the sacred temple He founded in His name having been taken over by scam artists and charlatans taking advantage of the loyalties of the congregations and church members.
Outraged He just ups and "lets them all 'have it'", turning over tables, throwing items across the room, and eventually physically tossing a few of the asshole con-artists themselves out onto the streets.  (I think, contrary to the stereotypical representation of His physical appearance as is so many depictions of the man, Jesus was more-than-likely one of those hefty muscular types.)

Anyway, it's Christmas---presumably celebrating the birthdate of Jesus
...nevermind the fact that He was actually born sometime during spring as opposed to during early winter.

Now---if Jesus were to return at this moment...would he toss out the "moneychangers" who run both our major businesses(i.e.: corporations) and government factions?
Return us to the concept of "businesses primarily existing to earn their profits by providing quality goods and good services at reasonable prices" and "governments existing to serve their citizens and take care of it's land, both the natural and man-made physical entities".

2012:

The worst year for anyone named "Sandy".

Hurricane Sandy ...Sandy Hook.

Never has a proper name been so circumstantially unintentionally desecrated.

Too Many Liberties, Too Few Boundaries

"So long as you're willing to put up with me, I'll put up with anything you do.
However, if you start getting all 'zero-tolerance' jackboot with me, I'll take that to be a 'declaration of war' on me."

...hopefully a "cold war" and not a "full-frontal" type conflict.

The way most people are brought up in this culture:
to be self-important, self-righteous, despotic and domineering...

...obsessed with what they "have a right to" do, say, or go and be.
Everything is about their "rights" and entitlements...always deserving the best, always unconditionally entitled to "respect" and consideration (even when not returning the same themselves)---with "the right to" retaliate in a strongarm manner (or enlist someone else to do so on their behalf) or make extortionistic threats to take such actions ("You have a right to defend yourself." "Don't let anybody mess with you." "Stand your ground---you're #1: remember that.") if anyone should dare do or say anything unpleasant or "offensive" to them, always "right all the time"---if they like something (book, movie, song, TV show, etc) it's because it's great...if something doesn't appeal to them that means it's either crappy or something's wrong with it---they don't have "opinions" or "viewpoints" like others...they're smart and sane enough to tell what's "meritable" and what's either "disposible" or "mediocre"---if they decide they "don't like you" it's probably because of some "character flaw" on your part and not because of any prejudices or judgmentalisms they themselves may have (of course they're not "prejudice"---they're perfect, remember?), and always "in charge"---they "own everything" (the streets; the sidewalks; the aisles in stores, restaurants, laundromats) and you're always forced to either move around them or to get out of their way...

Sure, people are also taught about their "responsibilities" and "duties", but mainly as an "aside"---sort of like such things are among the "Catch-22"s of life, among the things to be suffered and disdained, the "necessary evils".

Such upbringing produces a "civilian monarch" mindset in which one develops a smug self-assured demeanor in which they assume they "deserve" whatever may be desirable or appealing to them, with covetry and jealousy for anyone who has whatever it may be that they desire which they don't possess---the feeling being along the lines of:  "Why is THIS person 'more worthy' of having that than me?  You know, I could put that item to better use than they ever could.  I should certainly be just as entitled as they are to it!"

It also creates this "Me first!" mindset of the kind that characterizes the likes of "Black Friday" or the aggressive driving habits that sometimes culminate in "road rage" incidents.
But, even in the most benign situations and circumstances you'll see the "silent contempt" in a lot of people's faces and in their demeanor's and body language...kind of like an ongoing "cold civilian war" that occasionally erupts into a "full-frontal" conflict.

This type of social climate---where others are adversaries and intruders instead of "fellow humans"---also creates a paranoid and defensive mindset among it's many occupants.
And the need to "defend" or "protect" onself and one's loved ones or associates.
And also what creates a need for "revenge" against those who dare to "offend" or threaten you (whether said threats are real or imagined)

Those "needs" are also what brings about a market for devices which enable one to both "protect" oneself and attack those either threatening or who are deemed "offensive", thus creating an opportunity for those who provide such to start and run successful and profitable businesses catering to these tendencies found in such a great number of individuals.

And with that in mind, I think all this talk about "stricter gun control" or even "banishing" certain types of guns, while it all SOUNDS rational and idealistic, is way shortsighted.  Even in the most unlikely event we actually would succeed in destroying the worst such weapons, we'd still be but creating yet another "prohibition" period, much like in the 1930s or with the "war-on-drugs".
The black market would not only pick up where the now-defunct legitimate companies left off, but all those assault rifles and such would eventually reappear on the streets again as the technology and knowledge, once developed, will never disappear...so the means and materials to rebuild and recreate such will always be an omnipresence.  Part of the price one pays for "progress".

And with human nature always being part of us, along with the mantras of "individual rights" and "personal rights" being preached as part of cultural norms and tradition further enhancing narcissism, hedonism, and hubris, there will always be the market for any kind of weapons of defense-and-attack, "the more effective the better".
And someone's going to the beneficiary of such a social and business climate.  It's simply a question of who they will be.

A ban on even the worst type of weapons, while appealing in the idealistic and moral sense, will only backfire and create another "prohibition period" with all the iniquities associated with such.

The System

...that "Frankenstein" of all civilizations from long before the pre-Biblical times to those of the present.

No matter who you are or what your livelihood is, you're codependent on "the system" of whatever country you reside in
...you don't dare defy it's laws without getting locked up or fined
...you have to follow it's traditions and agree with it's belief systems, dogmas and popular prejudices or face ostracization by your "fellow citizens"
It's the governments who control their countries, no matter which country one's talking about, or of what kind of "government" said country professes to have. Whatever those-in-charge say goes is going to be whatever goes down in that particular piece-of-regulated-collective-real-estate.

This is why I get irritated by those who complain about those who "use the system to leech off of the rest of society" and how they're "sick of paying taxes to support" such types.
Even if one does work-for-a-living, earning their own pay and such---it's only because the government who rules over wherever they live allows such interactive flexibility, allowing for a limited amount of free movement within their overall system.
The government could just-as-easiliy mandate that all their citizens work only for them and reward in basic amenities with sporadic amusements thrown in on-the-side.

And that currency one gets paid in:  the government created and produces it as well.  How much of it one's entitled to is based on predeterminations by both employer and other officials.
(Travel abroad, and this "money-of-yours" has to be exchanged for whatever amount of THEIR currency that other government decides is equivalent to whatever amount you have on you at the time.)

Furthermore, if one's employed that means one was dependent on another party (or other parties) to decide they were worth "taking a chance on" when considering someone to hire to fill a needed position.
What if they doubted you?  What if other potential employers doubted you as well?  And it took over a year for you to find employment?
Would you have simply rode it out, without food, money, shelter?  Then what?  Who would then hire a starving, stenchy sod so weak he couldn't even stand up?

For that matter, as far as "being employed" being an indication of whether one is "being productive" or not, let it be known that a lot of paid jobs are actually kind of useless---cliche rituals of menial tasks that don't really have any overall long-range benefit for others (or for much of anything).  And also that one can accomplish a lot simply working on a personal hobby (at their own expense, no less).

Even if one owns their own business---doing everything themselves, isn't there still a codependency on certain financial establishments trusting you enough to "take the risk of" loaning you out a certain percentage of their money in the good faith you'll be able to return it to them in good time?

The truth is we're all "leeches" to some extent.  Unless one's some kind of all-around genius, the aptitude to own and run a restaurant (for example) doesn't give one the aptitude to do construction work, or to take on plumbing, or lay down wiring and underground pipes and cables.
One would still be codependent on the system to provide streets, roads, bridges, utility services, to write and enforce laws that protect one from malicious actions of others (theft, robbery, vandalism etc).
And, in the case of restaurant ownership (or of any other type of shop ownership), one depends on their customer base determining their products and services are worth whateve they happen to charge for such, and being able and willing to do so as well.

And let's not forget that the government, being ultimately in charge, can decide whether or not you get to keep your earnings---either in part or in whole.  And there's nothing one can do about it.
Yes, taxes---love 'em or hate 'em.  Without them you'd have no roads or streets to drive on, nor any buses or subways to transport you to your destinations as well.  And, if someone were to break into your residence no police to report it to.

The word is "integral".  Remember that word, now.
It means everyone and everything is but a part of the whole.
It means everything isn't about just you---everyone and everthing else is in the "mix" as well.

Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats...Everywhere!

My brother lives about 40 miles away from this frumpy dumpy urban craphole I live in (my sister also lives in this urban dump as well).

Each Thanksgiving we visit him and his "godmother" former English professor he resides with (actually it's her place---well she and her late husband).

My sister has a romantic relationship with a former coworker (since retired), and she, me, him, and his 9-year-old grand-daughter cruise on out to visit my brother and the retired professor on this annual endeavor of ours.

I should also mention that my brother and his "godmother" have about 20 cats (give-or-take) on their farm.  And that they freely come-and-go in and out of the house at their own will (there's a little panel on the back window the cats use when the doors are closed).

Anyway, the granddaughter, when her teacher was asking the class what they "were doing for Thanksgiving" replied "Grandpa and me are going to the cathouse!"

Of course her embarrassed parents and grandfather had to explain what she meant by the "cathouse".

The reason she refers to it as the "cathouse" is simply because there's a plethora of pussies, that's all.

Who's that at the door?  Children's Services?  What do they want?

Enough Is Enough Already!

I'm gettting tired of reading about all of these dumbass "random shootings" in schools, shopping centers, restaurants, hardware stores, parking lots, county fairs, or wherever.

What's up with these people and what's up with this "firearm" obsession or theirs?

Seriously, I think it's high time the U.N. and the World Court enacted an "emergency" martial law mandate requiring 95% of the world's population be sterilized...even including nations which aren't part of the U.N.

There's just been "not enough to go around for everyone" for far too long now.
And what it's done to both the physical and social atmosphere is nothing short of catastrophic.
This world, it's societies, and it's inhabitants are so insufferable...and nobody's interested in doing anything to solve these long-ongoing issues.

As a private individual in my own right a demand to be able to reside in a wold that's actually LIVABLE

Finally honoring "The King Of Female Songwriters"

...or should that be the "queen" of female songwriters?

No matter.  Carole King is finally getting a little overdue recognition from the "powers-that-be", so to speak.

She is set to recieve the Library of Congress' Gershwin award---the first female songwriter to do so (we're making progress in the "gender equality" area---it's only the the second decade of the 21st century, and ALREADY...)

You might ask:  Why just Carole King?  There are plenty of other female singer-songwriters besides just her.

True, but how many of them can lay claim to having written songs recorded by the likes of:  Bobby Vee, Herman's Hermits, The Chiffons, Blood Sweat & Tears, The Carpenters, The Tokens (and The Rockin' Berries), The Drifters, The Righteous Brothers, The Cookies, The Shirelles, Aretha Franklin, Little Eva, The Animals, The Monkees... ?

Some people are just...you know..."extra special"...

So, what about Hannah Sabata?

I suppose by now everybody knows about the small-town upstart who stole a car, robbed a bank, and then boasted about her exploits on YouTube.

And, no doubt, everyone has their fair share of disparaging opinions about her
...her "elevator" doesn't quite "go to the top"
...or, maybe, she's psychopathic.

Truth be known, she more-than-likely has as normal an intelligence level as most anyone else.
And as far as being "psycho" that still wouldn't be enough to make her "different" either.
Everybody's a little "nutsy", because this world is so full of adversarial elements which are bound to impact an individual in one way or another.  If one's not a little "looney", then one's probably not even living.
Truth be known, she's probably about as sane as most anyone else.
You see, we all have our fantasies about doing outrageous and malicious things. Or of losing our inhibitions doing the forbidden in inappropriate places at inappropriate times. We all have our "wish lists" of things we'd do if only we "were invisible" or what-have-you. But most of us know the importance of self-restraint...of keeping our composure.

No, my friend, what Ms. Sabata is, is that she's simply 200% irresponsible---PERIOD!

You see, what she did was to try to "experiment" with life itself---using the world itself as her own "testing ground" ("What would happen if...?").

The problem with using the world itself as your own "laboratory" is that this world is probably the worst "guinea pig" one could ever choose for trying out one's unorthodoxic and/or subversive notions.
And it has no sense-of-humor and takes itself quite seriously to boot as well. 

Society's Motto:

"If there's a way to make things easier, more efficient, and more effective
WE'VE never heard of it."

Don't ever fall down a 30-foot hole, because your rescuers will cut off 30-feet of rope (to a tee), and three of them will be on one side (of the rope) to pull you up with the other side dangling 5 feet above your head, out-of-reach.
Of course they won't be able to figure out what went "wrong"
...all they'll figure is: Forget the rope. That's not going to work. Let's try something else.

I remember, in junior high, having a math teacher who stated the following:
Those who are not able to take Algebra in high school will never be able to figure out how things in the world really work.

Remember---once upon a time---a period when the world was fascinated by the concept of "progress" and "making things better"...
...where the contention was that things were meant to be IMPROVED UPON?

Not Too Keen On Xmas

...it's so-o-o-o...smarmy!

It's supposedly this sacred season of "goodwill", "charity" and "unity" between all people.

But it's little more than a plethora of Gregorianisms and mantras and cliche rituals (although ideal for advertisers and scam artists preying on those hypnotized by the collective "festive" mindset).

Not to mention the idiotic tradition of gift-giving in the name of one-on-one charitism between relatives and close associates.

The way I figure it:  I don't want any unasked-for material items nor any gift cards myself.  If someone has the money to spare on me, I'd much rather they just give me that money itself and let ME decide how it should be "spent on me".

The true "spirit of Christmas" can be seen in the recent story of the subway passenger in NYC who threw a fellow passenger off the platform as a commuter train was approaching, resulting this other passenger's untimely demise.
Yet another perfect example of the long-ongoing Great American Civilian Cold War, wherein different classes and social demographics coexist with one another grudgingly and "conditionally"..."Stay in your own place and don't invade mine and we'll get along just fine.  Get too close and there'll be a problem".

The Christmas mantra is, in part, to pretend this mass disunity doesn't exist
...at least during the month of December.
And I'm too cynical to seriously get into it myself.

Traveling experiences

Although I've never traveled abroad myself (save for a couple hours in Niagra Falls Ontario),  I've heard and read the accounts of others who have.

Often they'll rant on about how much they love Paris...or how corrupt the government is in Belize...or how bad the attitude is towards Americans in so-and-so country...or how great the food is in such-and-such other country...or how overcommercialized Japan is...

Over time I've been gathering that all the grand proclamations these folks make about their experiences in various places (both domestic and abroad) are, shall we say, a bit arbitrary.  In other words, opinionated...judgmental.

I think people judge places and things the same way they judge other people.
If someone/something is easy for them to cajole, navigate, or manipulate to their liking, or is already agreeable to them in some way, they'll praise said subject and hold such in high esteem.

However, if someone/something "calls their bluff" in some way (so to speak) or comprises "disagreeable" elements, is stubborn or obstinate, or even appears adversarial, then they'll be condemning toward/of said subject and speak and think ill of such.

That said, I guess the only way to know what another place is really all about is to be lucky enough to be able to travel there yourself and have your own experiences there, as each person tends to have their own experiences wherever they go, based on how their personality and character interacts with the social climate of wherever they go as well as with whoever they happen to run across while they're there

Another Annoying Adage

Dealing with this world is like having a rattlesnake for a pet.
No matter how nice you are to it, or how well you take care of it, it'll still bite you.
...the same way it will if you're abusive or neglectful toward it.